Everything You Need to Know About Alcohol in Seychelles. I’ll cover prices, variety, import limits, and where to return bottles (in case anyone needs that). In short, Seychelles isn’t a haven for drinkers—the local alcohol variety is limited, and the prices are high. Keep reading to figure out how much to budget for alcohol on your trip.

Alcohol in Seychelles: General Information

Here are the key points every tourist should know:

  • Alcohol in Seychelles is very expensive, especially for beer enthusiasts.
  • You can buy it in any store, even the smallest ones in remote villages. Prices are consistent across the country. Everything about stores and markets in Seychelles, their hours, card payments, and more.
  • Alcohol sales in Seychelles start at 11:30 am on weekdays and 8:30 am on weekends.
price alcohol in seychelles
You’ll find this notice in any store in the alcohol section. But on Saturday and Sunday, you can start partying in the morning 🙂

Important to note:

Alcohol in Seychelles is expensive due to high excise taxes, and the country doesn’t produce any raw materials for alcohol—everything is imported. For instance, sugarcane and molasses for rum production are bought from Mauritius, while their own sugarcane only covers 1-2% of the needs. It’s the same with beer malt.

Local Beer: Prices, Manufacturers

Let’s start with Seychellois beer. There’s only one manufacturer and one type of beer—classic light Euro lager. You have the choice between strong beer and the standard 4.5%. Occasionally, they release a special ale or wheat beer for holidays, but that’s rare.

  • The main Seychellois beer is called SEYBREW, in blue cans.
Seychelles beer
There are three main Seychellois beers, all produced in the same factory. The most popular one is in the first photo (blue can).

Beer prices in Seychelles:

  • Any 0.5L can of beer costs 50-55 rupees! That’s over 3.5 euros per can. It hits the budget hard for beer lovers, especially those who enjoy having 5 cans a day. There’s also the same beer in a 0.33L glass bottle, priced at 42 rupees.
  • There’s imported European beer too, like Heineken and Amstel. The price is similar, usually 55 rupees per can.
  • In restaurants, a glass of beer costs around 100 rupees (7 euros). And often, it might be 0.33L.

They don’t sell beer in volumes larger than 0.5L here. Also, if you buy beer in glass, you can return empty bottles to any store; there are boxes at the entrance. You’ll get 2 rupees per bottle returned. To buy one bottle of beer, you need to return at least 20 empty bottles.

  • For everything about prices in Seychelles and why it’s so expensive, read the article through the link.

Rum in Seychelles: Takamaka

The primary strong alcohol in Seychelles is rum. There are about 10 rum producers on the islands, but they’re all small-scale—99% of the rum market is Takamaka. It’s the country’s main strong drink. You can buy this rum in any store, at duty-free in the airport, and it’s a great gift to bring back home for friends and family.

alcohol in seychelles
Rum is the head of everything in Seychelles!

Key points about Takamaka rum in Seychelles:

  • Prices are the same everywhere, whether in small stores, at the factory, or in supermarkets.
  • There are two volumes: 0.375L and 0.7L. The average price for 0.375L is 11 euros. For 0.7L, it’s 22 euros. Prices might vary depending on the type of rum.
  • In restaurants, rum-based cocktails cost between 13-20 euros.
  • Takamaka rum comes in 5 varieties:
    • Classic white rum
    • Dark Spiced rum
    • Coconut rum
    • Rum aged in bourbon barrels, with a whiskey flavor.
    • And Takamaka Zannannan rum, with a pineapple aroma.
    • There are also limited editions of 10 and 15-year-old rum, only sold at the factory store and duty-free. Prices start from 50 euros per bottle.
takamaka in seychelles
All varieties of Takamaka rum. In the photo, a tasting at the factory; I’ll write about that below. I recommend the second from the left—Dark.

Good to know:

Each type of Takamaka rum has different strengths and prices. For instance, the coconut one is only 28 degrees and costs 20 euros for 0.7L, while the Dark Spiced, at 43 degrees, costs 23 euros for 0.7L. There’s even one at 69 degrees. You can try them all during a tasting at the factory and then buy the one you liked most.

At the Takamaka factory, except on Sundays, there are three free tours daily for anyone interested. There’s also a rum tasting, costing around 10 euros (150 rupees), where you can try all the varieties. They’ll also tell you the history and composition of each. I highly recommend it. More details about tour times and the factory’s location are in the article: What to See in Seychelles: Top 20 Attractions.

rum seychelles
Takamaka rum is the main alcohol in Seychelles and a symbol of the archipelago. You’ll find many branded bars like these, even on the beaches.

Official Takamaka rum manufacturer’s website: https://www.takamakarum.com/

Travel Tips

A few general tips that might not be obvious until you experience them.

  • When you arrive in Seychelles, you’ll come in the duty-free zone. Takamaka rum is only sold in 1L bottles there. But here’s the trick: in duty-free, 1L costs the same as 0.7L in any store on the island. It makes sense to buy a bottle or two right upon arrival. The limit for importing strong alcohol is 2L per person.
  • Remember, for entry into Seychelles, insurance is mandatory. There’s an article detailing insurance in Seychelles, the types available—even coverage if the insurance incident occurs under the influence of alcohol. Use it, but don’t drink too much.
  • Moreover, in any store, you can easily buy alcohol from global brands like whiskey, tequila, wine—anything you want, in any quantity. However, all alcohol is imported and therefore expensive. For instance, the cheapest bottle of wine is around 8 euros, and it doesn’t get cheaper than that. In South Africa, Italy, or France, these wines cost around one and a half euros per bottle.
takamaka rum factory
Author’s advice: this rum is my favorite. Firstly, it has a 43% alcohol content. Secondly, it has a fantastic taste with hints of vanilla and papaya. It’s great neat or mixed with coke.

In conclusion, alcohol is available in any store in Seychelles, with prices consistent across the island. For fans of strong drinks, there are all the global brands and the fantastic local Takamaka rum. For beer enthusiasts, it’s a bit sadder—the beer selection is limited, and it’s very expensive. Paying 3.5 euros for the cheapest beer can be tough. As for how much to budget for alcohol expenses, calculate it yourself—it all depends on how much you can drink.

IMPORTANT: essential links to organize your dream trip to the Seychelles:

  • FLIGHTS: Aviasales – direct flights and best deals.

  • CAR RENTAL: Mahe and Praslin, no deposit required – DiscoverCars.

  • TOURS and EXCURSIONS:
    • GetYourGuide – 75+ activities on land and water in the Seychelles.

    • Viator – 150 + activities in Seychelles.

  • TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA.

  • HOTELS, VILLAS, APARTMENTS:
    • Hotellook compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers to choose the best one.

    • Booking – the most popular service for booking accommodation.

    • Agoda – the main competitor of Booking.

  • PACKAGES: from budget to luxury – Expedia.

  • AIRPORT TRANSFER: Intui.

  • INTERNET: eSIM of local telecom operator – Airalo.